Re: Beginning of the end?

If "becomes popular" means "the bosses are making a deliberate attempt to cash in on pop-EDM" then yes, I am a whiny baby

The most interesting part of this angle is that Coachella has always targeted the most popular electronic artists of the given era. You had artists like Oakenfold, Fatboy Slim and Moby on the lineup in the early years. In the mid 2000's it was Daft Punk, PVD, Tiesto, etc. Since then the more popular acts are the likes of SHM, Calvin Harris, Afrojack, and the wave of dubstep that has flooded the music market.

I am in no way defending the music, but you act as if Coachella has altered their formula completely. They really haven't. It's just that pop-EDM is what happens to be what the younger crowd desires.Fortunately, if EDM is the only thing you go for, you guys have DEMF, dB, EDC, Ultra and many other festivals available to you.

I get your sentiment, Trick, but I have a different point of view than yourself. A sub-par to poor EDM lineup isn't going to keep me away if the rest of the lineup is good.

Originally Posted by guedita

And to be fair to fikus, violent strangulation is one of his better qualities.

Originally Posted by malcolmjamalawesome

Being dead is literally the only way anyone on the planet could give less of a shit about you. You look like Farrah Fawcett's melted corpse.

Re: Beginning of the end?

But how does them operating a cruise with bands playing on it have anything to do with any of that?

Originally Posted by malcolmjamalawesome

What is it that's turning people off?

...

Originally Posted by JustSteve

that more people know about it, that's it is not some special little secret club that we are all a part of? that seems to be the main complaint. lineups to me are still stellar, location is stellar, only real change i notice is more people, but it doesn't affect my experience one bit because i choose to not let it.

Re: Beginning of the end?

Is it acceptable to question the festivals worth when changes dramatically impact the event or experience? You act like Coachella should be loved by all, GuyinTucson.

Acceptable? It always has been, but how it "dramatically affects" an individuals experience is subjective. I also do not care if certain people don't like the direction of the festival.

Originally Posted by thestripe

I can't blame those who don't like the expansion and overall changes of the festival. It is a very different thing compared to just four years ago. For some, the changes are enough to consider not attending.

There are people who are turned off every year, so what's your point? My first Coachella was 11 years ago and these alterations are being dramatically overblown. Yes, it's more popular, the lineup is bigger, there is a big focus on camping and the landscape of music in general has changed in that timeframe. So what? For people like myself and many others, it has been consistently good each and every year.

Originally Posted by thestripe

For others, the current popularity has made it difficult to obtain passes to go. You complaining about the disinterest is comical. Coachella will gain plenty enough interest to replace those old timers who are now turned off. Out with the 30+ year olds and the acts geared toward that demographic.

I have been able to obtain passes without a problem each of the past three years and again for 2013. Those who didn't try or failed to obtain a pass before presale ended will likely have little-to-no problem finding one if they really want to go and, no, you don't have to hand over large piles of cash to a scalper. There are people on here who will have extra passes who will be more than willing to accommodate another boardee for face-value. If that's too much work for you, ok cool, but a couple of hours online to purchase a pass is a small price to pay for what I consider to be one of the best weekends of the year.

Out with the 30+ crowd? I turn 31 next month. You know there are people in their 40's and 50's on this board who will continue to go. Just because you may be a part of the 30+ crowd who is turned off at the direction Coachella is going, there are plenty of us who completely disagree with you.

Originally Posted by thestripe

In with the overly intoxicated 18 year olds attending for the top 40 Sahara line-up, and the bullshit spillover acts that take up chunks of set times throughout the rest of the stages. Even exchange.

A lot of people here, myself included, were likely a part of the "overly intoxicated 18 year olds" crowd at one point or another. The top-40 in the Sahara? The closest comparison I can give you is what I said to Trick. They have always booked the most popular electronic artists.

As for "bullshit spillover acts that take up chunks of set times throughout the rest of the stages"... . You have to be more specific. I don't know exactly what you are talking about here

Originally Posted by guedita

And to be fair to fikus, violent strangulation is one of his better qualities.

Originally Posted by malcolmjamalawesome

Being dead is literally the only way anyone on the planet could give less of a shit about you. You look like Farrah Fawcett's melted corpse.

Re: Beginning of the end?

Originally Posted by GuyInTucson

The most interesting part of this angle is that Coachella has always targeted the most popular electronic artists of the given era. You had artists like Oakenfold, Fatboy Slim and Moby on the lineup in the early years. In the mid 2000's it was Daft Punk, PVD, Tiesto, etc. Since then the more popular acts are the likes of SHM, Calvin Harris, Afrojack, and the wave of dubstep that has flooded the music market.

I am in no way defending the music, but you act as if Coachella has altered their formula completely. They really haven't. It's just that pop-EDM is what happens to be what the younger crowd desires.Fortunately, if EDM is the only thing you go for, you guys have DEMF, dB, EDC, Ultra and many other festivals available to you.

I get your sentiment, Trick, but I have a different point of view than yourself. A sub-par to poor EDM lineup isn't going to keep me away if the rest of the lineup is good.

Dude, yes, but there has always been a mix of the pop shit and the underground shit. Remember when Daft Punk played? Carl Cox had a two hour set that night bro. That's not some pop shit.

Based on that article, a dude who is literally Paul T's boss says they're trying to cash in on the pop-EDM fad now because it's $$$$$$$. Based on the lineups since I've been going I can tell you that they've more or less completely eschewed the underground shit in favor of the Guetta/Skrillex clones. These two things combined make it really easy to say that yes, something has changed.

I don't think GV gives a fuck because they're rolling in that Guetta money, and I don't really either 'cause I'm kind of over the huge festival thing personally. It's still silly to say that people who notice this change are just whining, y'know?

Re: Beginning of the end?

GuyInTucson, there you go defending your little heart out. I was just talking on the point that the festival has changed for better or worse. I go every year and have fun. I was able to get tickets to weekend 1 for 2013, but I know many who tried and failed. No shit there are 40 and 50 year olds there. I turned 30 this year at Coachella and had a great time. But I do recognize that the festival has changed pretty substantially since I started attending in 2004. Some of the changes I have greatly enjoyed and others not so much. But I don't get into a panic after someone says they think Coachella has changed for the worse. I don't feel the need to defend the festival like a guard dog. For me Coachella is still enough of a good time to countinue going. But that might change. I'm of the opinion that either you like it and keep going or you don't like it and stop. Simple.

Re: Beginning of the end?

Dude, yes, but there has always been a mix of the pop shit and the underground shit. Remember when Daft Punk played? Carl Cox had a two hour set that night bro. That's not some pop shit.

Based on that article, a dude who is literally Paul T's boss says they're trying to cash in on the pop-EDM fad now because it's $$$$$$$. Based on the lineups since I've been going I can tell you that they've more or less completely eschewed the underground shit in favor of the Guetta/Skrillex clones. These two things combined make it really easy to say that yes, something has changed.

I don't think GV gives a fuck because they're rolling in that Guetta money, and I don't really either 'cause I'm kind of over the huge festival thing personally. It's still silly to say that people who notice this change are just whining, y'know?

Go back and look at the 2002 lineup. Sure, there was Prodigy, The Chems, Dirty Vegas, Lee Burridge, Sasha and Digweed, but the top half of the dance card are names like Oakenfold, Tiesto, BT (who had just worked with N'Sync for fucks sake).. the fillers were DJ's who were playing everywhere else at the time (Dj Dan, Christopher Lawrence, Sandra Collins). There was nothing really unique or underground about that dance card.

It eventually got better as years went on. The following year had Underworld, Amon Tobin, Masters at Work, Roger Sanchez, Richie Hawtin, Deep Dish, etc.

I will admit that I wouldn't be surprised to see another shitty top-half-of-the-dance-lineup, Trick. But I also believe there is a good chance it will be more diverse in 2013 than in 2012. If it sucks, so be it, I'll check out other music.

Re: Beginning of the end?

I don't really disagree with most of what you're saying, I guess it's just a bit more distasteful to me. I'll go for sure in 2013 if I like even a bit of the lineup.

That said, if next year's Sahara tent is even close to this year's... when would Hawtin even play? Alesso -> Richie Hawtin -> Guetta wouldn't really work, y'know. They'd have to put Skrilly on the main stage (this is inevitable) and have Hawtin play the tent during it.

Re: Beginning of the end?

I don't really disagree with most of what you're saying, I guess it's just a bit more distasteful to me. I'll go for sure in 2013 if I like even a bit of the lineup.

That said, if next year's Sahara tent is even close to this year's... when would Hawtin even play? Alesso -> Richie Hawtin -> Guetta wouldn't really work, y'know. They'd have to put Skrilly on the main stage (this is inevitable) and have Hawtin play the tent during it.

I really hope they would avoid booking Guetta again, but I assume you are just using him as an example. My hope is that GV blew their wad on this year's dance card to assure selling out two weekends and that they will mix it up more in 2013. Wishful thinking, perhaps, but I don't think there is a way the dance card won't improve from this year. I mean, which big time EDM-pop artists weren't there iin 2012 outside of Skrillex?

Last edited by GuyInTucson; 08-08-2012 at 03:01 PM.

Originally Posted by guedita

And to be fair to fikus, violent strangulation is one of his better qualities.

Originally Posted by malcolmjamalawesome

Being dead is literally the only way anyone on the planet could give less of a shit about you. You look like Farrah Fawcett's melted corpse.

Re: Beginning of the end?

Originally Posted by thestripe

GuyInTucson, there you go defending your little heart out. I was just talking on the point that the festival has changed for better or worse. I go every year and have fun. I was able to get tickets to weekend 1 for 2013, but I know many who tried and failed. No shit there are 40 and 50 year olds there. I turned 30 this year at Coachella and had a great time. But I do recognize that the festival has changed pretty substantially since I started attending in 2004. Some of the changes I have greatly enjoyed and others not so much. But I don't get into a panic after someone says they think Coachella has changed for the worse. I don't feel the need to defend the festival like a guard dog. For me Coachella is still enough of a good time to countinue going. But that might change. I'm of the opinion that either you like it and keep going or you don't like it and stop. Simple.

I am not in a panic nor am I defending the festival like a guard dog. My first post in this thread stated that there is a certain demographic that likes to feel exclusive and special and when they don't have that feeling anymore it turns them off so much that it turns some of those individuals into whiny babies.

Some, such as yourself, remain level-headed about it and continue to find what you like about while avoiding what you don't like as much as possible. Others like to let a festival cruise that has the name "Coachella" in the title bother them and then want to question, is it the "beginning of the end"? Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I don't understand the logic behind that at all.

Originally Posted by guedita

And to be fair to fikus, violent strangulation is one of his better qualities.

Originally Posted by malcolmjamalawesome

Being dead is literally the only way anyone on the planet could give less of a shit about you. You look like Farrah Fawcett's melted corpse.

Re: Beginning of the end?

I’m one of those people that tend to turn off/out when something becomes popular.

I have absolutely loved “having Coachella to myself.” I am proud to have attended Coachella all of these years, and to have witnessed what it’s become, and to have received more than my money’s worth.

There have been times that I’ve questioned the lineup, but there are always at least 2 alternatives to see at the same time that act is playing. Years ago, an overwhelmingly amount of people appeared to be there mostly because of the artists and the experience. It’s not 100% like that today, but those that are not there for those reasons are small enough of a percentage that I don’t consider it an issue. Though organizers are attempting to branch out into other ventures using the brand name, I don’t feel it is being done in a way to compromise it. I’ve had concerns over the past few years that the festival might change specifically due to the increase in the media. Example. Seeing Tiesto on a Wheaties cereal box with a chance to win free tickets to Coachella would initially offend me, but if the festival landed up being a good time as normal, then I really don’t give a fuck.

I love electronic music, as well as other kinds of music, and I’ve been kind of pissed over the past few years of seeing certain electronic artist playing at other festivals but not at Coachella. In those instances, the lineup landed up working out just right and was really a non issue.

Being 40 fucking 6, I find it hilarious how younger people come up to me, in a dad kind of way, and ask for directions, what stage is this? can you take our picture? Now with regards to how the artists have changed, I remember dub step from a couple of years ago thanks to Coachella. I saw a Microsoft commercial on TV yesterday that had a dub step song in the background. For me, dub step is over, but Coachella is not. I’m looking forward to whatever drum n bass artists Coachella will bring next year or whatever sub genre it may introduce me to. As long as the festival satisfies my thirst (and hunger) for music, I’ll be buying a ticket. I hope this point is clear. Coachella expands and contracts. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll occasionally look back and reminisce, but I don’t hang on and expect things to remain that way. If you do, you miss what’s going on now, which many times can mean what will be going on 6 months from now.

I think that’s everything. It’s a good discussion. Just wanted to contribute, even if is partly incoherent.

Re: Beginning of the end?

Only problem with it getting bigger is that more shitty people seem to attend.

There were several times this year where people were being so disrespectful it sort of ruined the experience. I realize that is probably going to happen at some point regardless. It just seems like its alot more now.

Re: Beginning of the end?

I’m one of those people that tend to turn off/out when something becomes popular.

I have absolutely loved “having Coachella to myself.” I am proud to have attended Coachella all of these years, and to have witnessed what it’s become, and to have received more than my money’s worth.

There have been times that I’ve questioned the lineup, but there are always at least 2 alternatives to see at the same time that act is playing. Years ago, an overwhelmingly amount of people appeared to be there mostly because of the artists and the experience. It’s not 100% like that today, but those that are not there for those reasons are small enough of a percentage that I don’t consider it an issue. Though organizers are attempting to branch out into other ventures using the brand name, I don’t feel it is being done in a way to compromise it. I’ve had concerns over the past few years that the festival might change specifically due to the increase in the media. Example. Seeing Tiesto on a Wheaties cereal box with a chance to win free tickets to Coachella would initially offend me, but if the festival landed up being a good time as normal, then I really don’t give a fuck.

I love electronic music, as well as other kinds of music, and I’ve been kind of pissed over the past few years of seeing certain electronic artist playing at other festivals but not at Coachella. In those instances, the lineup landed up working out just right and was really a non issue.

Being 40 fucking 6, I find it hilarious how younger people come up to me, in a dad kind of way, and ask for directions, what stage is this? can you take our picture? Now with regards to how the artists have changed, I remember dub step from a couple of years ago thanks to Coachella. I saw a Microsoft commercial on TV yesterday that had a dub step song in the background. For me, dub step is over, but Coachella is not. I’m looking forward to whatever drum n bass artists Coachella will bring next year or whatever sub genre it may introduce me to. As long as the festival satisfies my thirst (and hunger) for music, I’ll be buying a ticket. I hope this point is clear. Coachella expands and contracts. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll occasionally look back and reminisce, but I don’t hang on and expect things to remain that way. If you do, you miss what’s going on now, which many times can mean what will be going on 6 months from now.

I think that’s everything. It’s a good discussion. Just wanted to contribute, even if is partly incoherent.

Very well said.

Similarly, Coachella, for me, is not about the headliners (although they rarely disappoint when given a chance.) Coachella is about exposure to live music I haven't yet had time or the chance to appreciate. Some years, it is EDM, and some years it can be Indie. The Coachella lineup is diverse enough if one genre's lineup is lacking another seems to pick up the slack for me.

Do I wish there were only 30, 000 on the Polo Fields? Yup, but I also know Coachella is now on the world's radar and the demand is increasing.